Paperboard carton structure incorporating cushioning means



April 10, 1962 H. w. FoRRl-:R

PAPERBOARD CARTON STRUCTURE INCORPORATING CUSHIONING MEANS Filed Jan. 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. i 1Y0/WEI? PV. FORPER ATTORNEYS April 10, 1962 H. w. FORRER 3,028,954

PAPERBOARD CARTON STRUCTURE INCORPORATTNG cUsHToNTNG MEANS Filed Jan. 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C Eg 4 40 4d 42' 4- ,gfx 44, 44i 44 R44 461 46 30 36 )zo se TWT r )if f is H H duhf-H' I z g ze IIHIP u INVENToR. #OMER m mme@ Unite This invention relates generally to paperboard carton structures, and more particularly to a unique arrangement for incorporating an exceptionally eective cushioning means at the inner face of a wall panel in such a structure.

The cushioning means arrangement of the present invention is adapted for use to special advantage in an overwrap for a light bulb package of the type disclosed in copending application Serial No. 685,556, tiled September 23, 1957, which issued as Patent No. 2,905,316 on September 22, 1959, and is illustrated and described in further detail below in relation to an embodiment formed for this particular purpose. However, the-exceptional protection afforded to light bulbs in such a package may also be obtained in rgeneral for other articles in any other type of carbon structure incorporating a cushioning means arranged according to the present invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a liight bulb package formed with an overwrap incorporatnig a cushioning means arranged in accordance with the present invention;

Fi'G. 2 is a longitudinal section of the light bulb package shown in Pi-G. 1, taken substantially at the line 2--2 therein;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional detail showing the cushioning means arrangement as seen substantially from the line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a plan View of the blank for the overwrap employed in forming the light bulb package shown in FIGS. l, 2, and 3.

package illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 comprises an overwrap, as indicated generally by the reference numeral ill, enclosing a pair of open-ended, four-sided light bulb containing sleeve-type cartons l2, each or which contains a pair of light bulbs B having the base ends thereof nested at opposite sides of a partition element l2 and the large bulbous ends thereof arranged outwardly adjacent the respective open ends of the cartons l2. These sleeve-type cartons 12 may be and preferably are of the type disclosed and claimed in the above noted copending application Serial No. 685,556, and the overwrap 10 is arranged in packaging relation about the cartons 12 to cover the open ends and opposite pairs of adjacent side walls thereof in the same general manner as is also disclosed and claimed in the above noted copending application. Y

For this purpose, the overwrap blank, as seen in FlG. 4 is of elongated form and is transversely scored at 1d,

16, 1S and 2i? to define a series of foldably connectedis arranged to form a cushioning means in accordance icc with the present invention at the inner face of the rst mentioned terminal panel 22.

in order to provide for securing the overwrap 10 in packaging relation about the cartons 12, the terminal panel portion 22 is preferably formed at its terminal edge with shouldered securing tabs 32 and a registering tab 34, while respectively aligned slots or slits 36 and 38 are provided at t. e foldably connected edge of the other.

terminal panel portion 3b along the score 20 thereat for receiving the securing and registering tabs 32 and 34 so as to lock the over-Wrap it? in packaging relation, as disclosed in further detail in copending application Serial No. 774,755, tiled November 18, 1958. Alternatively7 the terminal edge of the panel portion 22 may be arranged in any other suitable manner desired, aswith a foldable edge flap (not shown), for gluing or stapling or otherwise securing to the side wall panel portion 28 at or adjacent the edge thereof foldably connected with the terminal cushioning panel portion 3i).

The cushioning panel 3i) is particularly characterized by an extent longitudinally of the blank panel series that exceeds the corresponding extent of the end wall terminal panel 22, and by an arrangement of transverse arcuate scoring therein by which it is conditioned for braced inward buckling between the adjacent side wall panel portions 24 and 2S at the opposite edges of the end Wall panel portion 22.

' in the particular embodiment illustrated, the cushioning panel portion 3@ has` a pair of extending tongues 40 formed therein with a width no greater than the adjacent open ends of the cartons 12, and the arcuate transverse scoring is formed at 42 in each of these tongues 4i) adjacent the extending ends thereof and convexly with respect to these extending ends. Also, the arcuate scores i2 extend transversely in each tongue 4t) less than the full width thereof and terminate at transverse slits 44 reaching therefrom to the adjacent side tongue edges, and the tongues 42 are further scored at i6 diametrically with respect to the arcuate scores 42; these latter features being provided to facilitate iiexing of the cushioning panel tongues 40 to their inwardly buckled position within the open ends of the packaged light bulb cartons 12.

At this inwardly buckled position, the major portion of each tongue 4t? provides a curved cushioning seat for the adjacent light bulb B within the carton i2 thereat, while the remaining extending end portion of each tongue 4G beyond the arcuate score 42 therein forms a bracing leg for the cushioning seat portion that not only resists displacement but has exceptional strength against deformation by reason of the arcuately formed score 42 at which the tongue portions are joined. If instead of the arcuate scoresY 42, only straight transverse scores were provided in the tongues 40, the bracing. leg portions thereof would tend to displace easily to a doubled position at which all cushioning action would be substantially lost, or to deform readily and to allow the cushioning seat portion of the'tongues 40 likewise to deform with a like efect. By forming the scores 42 arcuately, however, the bracing leg portions of the -tongues 40 are biased at their buckled bracing position are normally arranged for shipment in a larger shipping case proportioned to receive layers of the packages, with each package layer being formed by two package rows in which the individual packages have the open sides of the overwrap disposed adjacently. In such a shipping package it has been found that the greatest light bulb breakage occurs at the open light bulb carton ends adjaent the shipping case side walls. Breakage is not a problem at the inwardly disposed ends of the light bulb cartons and there is little difficulty in protecting the light bulbs sidewise of the individual cartons in which they are packed. Accordingly, the cushioning means of the present invention makes it possible to protect the light bulbs B effectively at the critical point in a shipping case by arranging the light bulb packages therein with the cushioning means adjacent the shipping case side walls in each row of each package layer.

It should also be noticed that the above described cushioning means arrangement of the present invention, by virtue of its inwardly buckled disposition at the adjacent open ends of the light bulb cartons 12 packaged in the overwrap 10, additionally serves the purpose of holding the cartons 12 securely within the overwrap 10 against accidental lateral displacement therefrom. This purpose may be further served by providing inwardly displaceable tabs 48 in the opposite overwrap end wall 26 for positioning depression within the opposite open ends of the cartons 12 adjacent corners thereof, and the opposite end wall 26 may also be formed with embossed cushioning portions 50, both as disclosed further in the previously noted copending application Serial No. 685,- 556.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a paperboard carton structure, a wall panel having opposite edges thereof connected with adjacent wall panels and having a cushioning means at the inner face thereof, said cushioning means comprising a panel extending between said opposite edges in an extent exceeding that of said iirst mentioned wall panel between said edges, and said cushioning means panel being arcuately scored transversely of said extent intermediate said opposite edges with said cushioning means panel inwardly flexed along said score for braced inward buckling at the inner face of said first mentioned wall panel between said edges, the iiexing along the arcuate score producing an arcuate contour in the surface of said buckled cushioning means panel.

2. A paperboard wrapper comprising an elongated blank folded and secured to form connected pairs of opposed side and end walls with cushioning means at the inner face of one of said Walls, said cushioning means being formed by a panel extending at the inner face of said wall between the opposite edges thereof that are connected with adjacent walls, and said cushioning means panel having an extent between said opposite edges in excess of said wall and being arcuately scored transversely of said extent intermediate said opposite edges with said cushioning means panel inwardly exed along said score and buckled inwardly at the inner face of said wall in braced relation between said adjacent walls at said opposite edges, the flexing along the arcuate score producing an arcuate contour in the surface of said buckled cushioning means panel.

3. A paperboard wrapper comprising an elongated blank scored transversely to define a series of foldably connected portions, one terminal portion of said series being formed for securing connection `with the portion of said series adjacent the other terminal portion threof, and said other terminal portion having an extent longitndinally of said blank in excess of said tirst mentioned terminal portion and being arcuately scored laterally of said blank and intermediately of said extent with said other terminal portion iiexed along said score, thereby producing an arcuate contour in the surface of said iiexed other terminal portion.

4. A paperboard blank comprising a series of foldably connected portions, one terminal portion of said series being formed at the terminal edge thereof for securing at the edge of the other terminal portion that is foldably connected in said series, and said other terminal portion having an extent longitudinally of said series in excess 0f said first mentioned terminal portion and being arcuately scored laterally of said blank and intermediately of said extent with said other terminal portion flexed along said score, thereby producing an arcuate contour in the surface of said liexed other terminal portion.

5. A package of the character described comprising a pair of open-ended, four-sided, light bulb containing, sleeve-type cartons and an overwrap therefor, said overwrap being an elongated transversely folded wrapper enclosing and secured about said pair of cartons to cover the open ends and the opposite pairs of adjacent side walls thereof, one of the end covering portions of said overwrap having an edge foldably connected with one of said side wall covering portions and an opposite edge secured at the other of said side wall covering portions, and said other side wall covering portion having a cushinning portion foldably connected therewith and disposed inwardly of said end covering portion, said cushioning portion having a pair of tongues formed therein with a width no greater than the open ends of said cartons and a length exceeding the dimension of said end covering portion between said side wall covering portions, and said tongues having arcuate scores extending transversely of their length and with said tongues iiexed along said arcuate scores so that they are buckled inwardly of said open carton ends between said side wall covering portions at said end covering portion.

6. A package of the character described comprising a pair of open-ended, four-sided, light bulb containing, sleeve-type cartons and an overwrap therefor, said overwrap being an elongated transversely folded wrapper deiining a series of foldably connected panel portions disposed about said pair of cartons to cover the open ends and the opposite pairs of adjacent side walls thereof, one terminal panel portion of said series being disposed in end covering relation with respect to said cartons and having the terminal edge thereof secured at the foldably connected edge of the other terminal panel portion of said series, said other terminal panel portion having an extent longitudinally of said series in excess of said first mentioned terminal panel portion and being disposed inwardly thereof, and said other terminal panel portion having a pair of extending tongues formed therein with a width no greater than the open ends of said cartons and having arcuate transverse scores formed in said tongues intermediate their length with said tongues flexed along said arcuate scores so that they are buckled inwardly of said open carton ends between the adjacent side wall covering panel portions of said series at the respective foldable connections thereof with said terminal panel portions.

7. A package as defined in claim 6 and further characterized in that the transverse arcuate scores in the tongues of said other terminal panel portion are spaced adjacent the extending ends thereof and are formed convexly in relation to said extending ends.

8. A package as defined in claim 7 and further characterized in that said tongues have further scores extending diametrically with respect to said arcuate scores.

9. A package as defined in claim 6 and further characterized in that the transverse arcuate scores in the tongues of said other terminal panel portion extend less than the full width of said tongues and terminate at transverse slits reaching from each end thereof to the side edges of said tongues.

10. A package as defined in claim 6 and further characterized in that the terminal edge of said first mentioned terminal panel portion is formed with shouldered securing tabs and a registering tab, and slots are provided at the foldably connected edge of said other terminal panel portion for receiving said securing and registering tabs.

1,888,855 Fuller Nov. 22, 1932 6 Ringler Apr. 16, 1 940 Sider Sept. 2, 1952 White Oct. 6, 1953 Stone Nov. 26, 1957 Gentry Mar. 18, 1958 Van Antwerpen Aug. 12, 1958 Goldsholl Dec. 13, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 13, 1928 

